STATE TOURNAMENT CAPSULES

CLASS 5A

WHEN Today-Monday

WHERE Hot Springs High School

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Boys: Jacksonville, West Memphis; Girls: Nettleton, Greenwood

PAST FIVE CHAMPIONS Boys: Jacksonville, West Memphis (2020), Marion (2019), Little Rock Parkview (2018), Mills (2017), Forrest City (2016); Girls: Nettleton, Greenwood (2020), Little Rock Christian (2019), Hot Springs (2018), Watson Chapel (2017), Watson Chapel (2016)

2021 FAVORITES Boys: Jonesboro, Little Rock Parkview; Girls: Greenwood, Little Rock Christian

2021 SLEEPERS Boys: Pine Bluff; Girls: Lake Hamilton

MUST SEE PLAYERS Boys: Nick Smith (Sylvan Hills); Girls: Izzy Higginbottom (Batesville)

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS TO WATCH Boys: Jonesboro vs. Jacksonville; Girls: Hot Springs Lakeside vs. Russellville

NOTEWORTHY Pine Bluff was the only top seed to not play in a conference tournament. The Zebras cruised to the 5A-South title with a 13-1 record in league play. … Nettleton, which shared the Class 5A girls state title last season with Greenwood, didn’t qualify for this year’s field. The Lady Raiders were knocked out in the first round of the 5A-East Conference tournament by Marion. … Both the Batesville and Greenwood girls’ teams spent all year in the top spot in their respective leagues but will enter as No. 2 seeds after losing in the finals of their conference tournaments. … The Lake Hamilton Lady Wolves own a 19-game winning streak and haven’t lost since their 4843 setback to Vilonia on Dec. 14. … Jonesboro has won 16 consecutive games, the best among all boys’ teams involved. … The first-round game between Lake Hamilton and Vilonia in the boys bracket is a rematch from earlier in the season, won by Vilonia.

CLASS 2A

WHEN Today-Monday WHERE Melbourne High School

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Boys: England; Girls: Melbourne

PAST FIVE CHAMPIONS Boys: England (2020), England (2019), Earle (2018), Earle (2017), Earle (2016); Girls: Melbourne (2020), Melbourne (2019), Earle (2018), Quitman (2017), Earle (2016)

2021 FAVORITES Boys: Marianna, Earle; Girls: Melbourne, Salem 2021 SLEEPERS Boys: Dierks; Girls: Marmaduke

MUST SEE PLAYERS Boys: Terron Williams (Marianna); Girls: Jenna Lawrence (Melbourne)

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS TO WATCH Boys: Mountainburg vs. Fordyce; Girls: Des Arc vs. Bigelow

NOTEWORTHY Melbourne, which has won 27 consecutive games, is gunning for its third consecutive state title. The Lady Katz won the two previous championship games by a combined 44 points. … There will be a new boys champion after England was knocked out in the first round of regionals by the team it beat to win the title last season – Earle. … The Quitman and Marmaduke girls are meeting in the first round after playing one another in the quarterfinals in 2020. … The only team to beat Marianna this season was Little Rock Parkview. … White County Central didn’t play any games in November because of covid-19 protocols. … Salem’s last four losses have come to Melbourne by an average of nine points. … Acorn’s girls are 15-1 in its past 16 games. … Caddo Hills lost to Dierks twice before finally beating the Outlaws in the 2A-South Region final. … Cotter’s two losses to Class 2A competition were to Flippin. … Lavaca had lost two games in a row to Mountainburg and Acorn, but the Golden Arrows beat both of those teams, plus a Flippin team that had won 24 consecutive games, to win the 2A-West Region.

CLASS 3A

WHEN Today-Monday

WHERE Clinton High School

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Boys: Rivercrest, Osceola; Girls: Valley Springs, Mountain View

PAST FIVE CHAMPIONS Boys: Rivercrest, Osceola (2020), Ashdown (2019), McGehee (2018), Episcopal Collegiate (2017), Cedar Ridge (2016); Girls: Valley Springs, Mountain View (2020), Mountain View (2019), Charleston (2018), Hoxie (2017), Valley Springs (2016)

2021 FAVORITES Boys: Osceola, Bergman; Girls: Bergman, Mountain View

2021 SLEEPERS Boys: Dumas; Girls: Mayflower

MUST SEE PLAYERS Boys: Braxtyn McCuien (Mayflower); Girls: Aubrey Isbell (Mountain View)

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS TO WATCH Boys: Dumas vs. Osceola; Girls; Centerpoint vs. Rose Bud

NOTEWORTHY Osceola and Mayflower could play each other in the quarterfinals. Those two faced off in the semifinals in 2020, in which the Seminoles held on for a 51-44 victory. … Clinton is 1-3 vs. Harding Academy this season. The teams have a shot at playing again before the title game. … The two reigning girls’ co-champions (Mountain View, Valley Springs) could play one another Saturday. Mountain View opens against Lake Village on Tuesday, while Valley Springs plays Lamar on Thursday. … Harding Academy didn’t play its first game of the season until Dec. 28, which resulted in a 66-49 loss to Izard County. … Ashdown won 19 of its first 20 games but are just 3-3 over its past six. … McGehee was beaten by Dumas three times before the Owls pulled off a 46-45 victory in the 3A Region 4 championship game. … The Bergman Lady Panthers have won 29 games in a row, the longest such streak in the state. … Newport had won its last 14 games until losing to Harding Academy in the 3A Region 2 final.

CLASS 1A

WHEN Today-Monday WHERE West Side Greers Ferry High School

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Boys: Nevada; Girls: Kirby PAST FIVE CHAMPIONS Boys: Nevada (2020), Izard County (2019), Guy-Perkins (2018), Guy-Perkins (2017), Bay (2016); Girls: Kirby (2020), Wonderview (2019), Wonderview (2018), Bay (2017), Nemo Vista (2016)

2021 FAVORITES Boys: Nevada, Viola; Girls: Rural Special, West Side Greers Ferry 2021 SLEEPERS Boys: Bradley; Girls: Emerson

MUST SEE PLAYERS Boys: Javontae Pearson (Nevada); Girls: McKenzie Jones (Kirby)

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS TO WATCH Boys: Kirby vs. Izard County; Girls: Kirby vs. Viola

NOTEWORTHY The Kirby vs. Viola game (girls) is a rematch of last season’s state championship game. … Izard County is looking to reach the finals for the fourth consecutive season. … All four girls’ teams from 1A Region 2 are members of the 1A-2 Conference. … Eleven of the 12 teams who were ranked in the previous Class 1A Super Six poll managed to reach the state tournament. The only team not to make it was the Marvell-Elaine boys, who were knocked out in the first round of the 1A Region 3 tournament by Mount Vernon-Enola. … The County Line Lady Indians are in the playoffs after starting the season 1-8. … Wonderview will get a chance at revenge against County Line in the first round. The Daredevils lost 55-52 when the teams met on Oct. 19 in the season opener. … The Mount Vernon-Enola boys, who were a semifinalist last season, endured a seven-game losing streak at one point this season but rebounded in time to win the 1A Region 3 tournament. … The Emerson Lady Pirates have lost just three games all season, with just one coming to a Class 1A school (Kirby).